There's no better party food than a dip. They are easy to make, can be eaten with a variety of finger foods, and everyone...

…loves them! Since fall and football season are right around the corner, I thought you all could use some recipe ideas for your next party. Here are 3 of my favorite dips that offer full flavor along with a boatload of nutritional benefits!

Black Bean Salsa:

Ingredients:

1/2 cup chopped red onion

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

3 green onions, chopped

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 (15.25 ounce) can corn with red and green bell-peppers, rinsed and drained

1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 (15 ounce) can of diced tomatoes with green chilies

Combine all ingredients in a bowl; toss gently. Cover and chill. Serve with tortilla chips.

Nutritional Benefits: Black beans are a great source of protein and fiber, which can help you feel fuller, longer. Canned tomato products, such as the diced tomatoes used in this recipe often have higher levels of lycopene, a cancer-fighting antioxidant, than fresh tomatoes.

Directions Place all ingredients in a food processor and process until the hummus is coarsely pureed. Taste, for seasoning, and serve chilled or at room temperature. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil just before serving, if desired. Serve with warmed pita and raw veggies for dipping.

Nutritional Benefits: Chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans) are the major ingredient in this recipe. They were one of the earliest cultivated veggies. They are a great source of zinc, folate, protein, and fiber. Also, their calcium content is close to that of milk or yogurt. Recent studies have shown them to be helpful in lowering blood cholesterol. Chickpeas and other beans have also been shown to decrease wrinkles, obesity and risks for cancer and diabetes.

Pumpkin Pie Dip:

Ingredients:

1 8oz. package low-fat cream cheese (softened)

2 cups confectioner’s sugar

1 cup canned pumpkin

1/2 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

1/2 tsp. ground ginger

In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Beat in pumpkin, yogurt, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and ginger until blended. Serve with fresh fruit and ginger snap cookies.

Nutritional Benefits: Pumpkin is a great source of fiber, potassium (which helps your body convert glucose into energy), selenium, Vit A, and lutein (helps prevent cancer risks). Pumpkin seeds are a good source of omega 3 fatty acids (which are helpful in preventing heart disease, memory loss, and depression). A long term research study of thousands of cancer patients showed that those who had frequent consumption of pumpkin had a lower risk for gastric, breast, colorectal, and lung cancers. Cinnamon has been shown to be helpful with blood glucose control.